The present invention relates to a rocking chair and, more specifically, to a rocking chair and foot rest which provide enhanced therapeutic benefits.
Although rocking chairs are typically used in social settings, the rocking motion can be beneficial as a form of exercise. In particular, rocking chairs can provide a valuable mode of exercise for residents of retirement or minimum to medium care facilities. Residents of retirement or minimum to medium care facilities often do not exercise, even moderately, due to lack of motivation, suitable exercise equipment, and/or a supportive community to encourage exercise. Although specialized exercise equipment has been used in the care of the elderly for many years, most equipment is associated with physical therapy or other scheduled exercise sessions.
Exercising while relaxing in pleasant surroundings and engaging in social activities in a supportive group has advantages. Participants can exercise while not feeling exercised and can conduct their social activities at the same time. In addition, the physical exertion and the awareness of the passage of time becomes secondary, as attention is diverted away from the exercise by their social activities at the time. Further, these social activities occur daily and would therefore encourage daily exercise.
An exercise system incorporating the use of a rocking chair affords a unique opportunity for exercise to be performed in a relaxed, casual environment. However, by itself, rocking in a conventional rocking chair results in only very light exercise. Leg action in a rocking chair is limited by the person""s leg length compared to the height and depth of the rocking chair seat. Most people need the majority of their leg and foot length just to reach the floor, leaving very little leg extension reserve for the rocking motion. The soles of the feet often just reach the floor so that rocking is accomplished by raising the heels and pushing with the balls of their feet. Accordingly, a person may only push off the floor with their feet and not benefit from any exercise potential of the rocking chair. In addition, the thighs are flat against the seat which restricts exercise motion and effort in the thigh muscles.
Further, conventional rocking chairs are designed to facilitate the rocking motion. Accordingly, conventional rocking chairs comprise a rocking means, such as rockers or other devices that work with a rocking motion, that minimizes the effort required to maintain a rocking motion. As a result, the use of conventional rocking chairs produces only minimal fitness benefits.
The exercise potential of conventional rocking chairs is also limited since many people find that the known rocking chairs are not comfortable for a variety of reasons. First, the user""s legs are often not long enough to comfortably reach the floor and produce a satisfying rocking motion. The rocking motion is therefore not under the user""s control as much as if the feet remained in contact with the floor throughout the entire rocking cycle. Many people prefer to have their feet in contact with the floor, both for comfort and control of the rocking motion. Second, after a time, the user""s body tends to slide away from the back of the rocking chair resulting in discomfort. As the body slides away from the back of the rocking chair, the user""s body takes on a slouched position which tends to be uncomfortable. In light of the foregoing, the user is unable to maintain the rocking motion for extended periods of time in conventional rocking chairs.
Although footstools have been used in connection with rocking chairs for comfort and to elevate the feet, the known footstools cannot be adjusted to yield maximal exercise benefit by providing optimal comfort and a more vigorous rocking motion. Further, as the user continues to rock, the known footstools tend to slide along the ground and do not help to keep the user""s body against the back of the chair. As a result, the user may feel less secure and relaxed. Although footstools of different heights have been used, the problems persist.
In light of the foregoing, it would be highly beneficial to utilize a rocking chair as part of an exercise program. To optimize the exercise benefits, the rocking chair should be provided with means for controlling the effort needed to maintain the rocking motion. In addition, the user""s feet should be maintained in contact with a stationary surface throughout the rocking cycle, the rocking cycle should start with the thighs and calves at about right angles, and body contact should be maintained with the back of the rocking chair.
In accordance with the present invention, an exercise system comprising a rocking chair is provided for enhancing the therapeutic benefits derived from use of the rocking chair. The rocking chair comprises a seat with a back support positioned relative to the seat such that when a user sits on the seat, the user""s back is positioned against the back support. The seat and back support are maintained above the ground by a base or frame. Rocking means are positioned below the base or frame for enabling the chair to maintain a rocking motion. The rocking means may comprise one or more rockers having a curved surface, whereby the rocking chair is capable of being rolled along the curved surface of the rocker in a smooth rocking motion. Alternatively, the rocking means can comprise other known devices for producing a rocking or lilting motion, such as platform rockers, spring-based rocking systems, and linear motion gliders.
The therapeutic nature of the exercise system is enhanced by providing the rocking chair with rocking resistance means. The rocking resistance means comprises one or more weights which are attached to the rocking chair. The weights insure that the force required to maintain a rocking motion contains an additional force beyond the typical force necessary to maintain a rocking motion in a conventional rocking chair. The weights can be attached to the rocking chair either by positioning the weights over a bar or by clamping the weights to the rocking chair.
To further enhance the therapeutic nature of the exercise system, a footstool is provided. The footstool comprises a foot rest which is positionable with respect to the rocking chair such that the feet of a user are supported on a foot support surface of the foot rest when the user is seated upon the rocking chair. The footstool further comprises means for adjusting the height and angle of the foot rest. By adjusting the position of the footstool with respect to the rocking chair, the height of the footstool, and the angle of the footstool, it is possible to selectively emphasize the exercise of specific muscle groups in the leg.
A method for selectively exercising specific muscle groups in a subject""s legs is also described. The method comprises the step of adjusting a rocking resistance means of an exercise system comprising a rocking chair to require an additional force to be applied to the rocking chair to maintain a rocking motion. The subject is then seated in the rocking chair and allowed to move the chair in a rocking motion by extending and flexing his or her legs. The comfort of the subject and the therapeutic benefits of the exercise system are enhanced by positioning and maintaining the subject""s feet on a foot rest of a footstool throughout the rocking motion. The position of the footstool with respect to the rocking chair, as well as the height and angle of the foot rest, are adjusted to selectively exercise specific muscle groups in the subject""s legs. For example, the footstool and foot rest can be adjusted to selectively emphasize the exercise of either the subject""s calf or thigh muscles.